Monthly Archives: February 2009

February 27th, 2009

Vacation Homes for Charity

Posted by: TJ Mahony|1 comment

Guest Author: Michael McFadden do_good

Company: VacationHomesForCharity.org (powered by TheSociety.com)

Title: Co-Founder and CEO

What is VacationHomesForCharity?

charityVacationHomesForCharity promotes doing “good” with vacation homes. We have streamlined the process of donating time at a vacation home for fund raising events that benefit charities and non-profit organizations. Now charities and non-profits can easily source vacation homes for their live auctions or raffles. Meanwhile, vacation home owners now have a resource that will manage the logistics of their donations. We do all the work and make sure the donated home and managing company are promoted at the event. We also ensure payment for cleaning. It’s very easy to sign up just go to www.VacationHomesForCharity.org/give

How many rentals have you procured for charity thus far? Money raised?

We have donated 8 homes to date and have over 40 other events firm on our schedule in 2009. We expect to donate 1000 nights in 2009 to charities and non-profits. We have helped raised over $40,000 to date and target a quarter million dollars in donations for 2009.

What types of homes are being offered? Modest cottages or high-end palaces?

We utilize all shapes and sizes. In general the home donations are between $200/night and $20,000/night and we ask for a minimum 4 night donation. We make sure that the charity and the winning bidder knows exactly what they are winning. We generate all the marketing materials for the charity and their invitees. The goal is to make it so easy all vacation home owners will get involved and give a week.

Is it a stretch to say Vacation Rentals can save the world?

No way. Vacation rentals can save the world! Okay, save the world is a bit of a stretch but it’s not a stretch to say they can make a considerable difference. The reality is there are hundreds of thousands of charities and non-profits that need help raising money. What better way to help than donating a week. Not to mention we make sure the home is promoted at the event and on various websites. It’s a win-win-win situation.

Any interesting stories in getting this concept off the ground?

Every day is amazing. Working the people that dedicate their lives to helping others is awesome. Whether they are fighting for kids, animals, education, disease or the arts these people are changing the world. In November I attended the Tony Hawk Foundation event where Tony Hawk, Sean White and other celebrities hosted a fabulous fund raising event and raised money for public skateboard parks in low-income communities. Our donors at Pullen Realty and Chase International donated a 5 night stay at a wonderful estate in Tahoe. It raised $10,000 for the foundation.

Another story related to matching homes to charities is the donation from Lifestyle Villas in Cabo. They donated a stay in the Blue Sea Compound (an amazing beach villa) to help benefit The Ocean Institute. It was a perfect match and raised $11,000 for the charity.

Categorized as: Community, Flipkey News, Industry News Read more →
February 24th, 2009

Controversy over Yelp Reviews Reinforces the Need for Honest Vacation Home Reviews

Posted by: TJ Mahony|6 comments

Last week, East Bay Express,  a San Francisco based publication, published a story accusing Yelp – a popular local business review site – of altering review content in exchange for monthly advertising fees.   The article included testimonials of local businesses that claimed they were offered a Yelp advertising program to improve their reviews on Yelp for a fee.

I will refrain on commenting on the merits of the accusations, but instead use the topic of the story to highlight the value of trusted review content.  

yelp

The Value of a Review is a Function of its Honesty

The internet has enabled the consumer masses to participate in the product and service marketing process.  We consumers are no longer limited to one-way marketing pitches and information to make our decisions.  Company X may claim they sell the best widget on the market, which may be the case, but unless we can see some verified testimonials and reviews from past widget users it’s just a marketing pitch.   

The challenge becomes making sure the testimonials and reviews we leverage when making our decision are from real ‘unfiltered’ consumers.    This is why the Yelp article mentioned above received so much attention last week.   Yelp attracts over 20M people per month that rely on the site to find and select the best local restaurants, hair salons, etc..   If consumers began to question the honesty of the reviews they find on Yelp, then the value of the site, service and reviews are diminished.

FlipKey’s Commitment to Honest Vacation Homes Reviews

At FlipKey maintaining the trust, verification and honesty of our reviews is paramount to helping ensure travelers find and book the best vacation rentals that meet their needs.  As such, we take great efforts to ensure our reviews are honest and authentic:

 - FlipKey clients can not pay to move, adjust or prioritize reviews 

-  FlipKey only solicits reviews through a closed email invitation process that ensures only confirmed guests are able to leave a review.  FlipKey’s system curbs the instances of competitors leaving false negatives on homes they have never stayed in.

-  The only reviews removed from FlipKey are reviews that violate FlipKey terms of service (e.g. contain profanity, personal attacks, etc.)

-  All FlipKey reviews are applied to FlipKey’s ‘authentication filter’ that identifies false positives (managers reviewing their own homes) and SPAM 

-   FlipKey publishes all reviews in chronological order, no matter if the review is a glowing 5-star review or a critical 2-star review.

Therefore, when you see a review is “Verified by FlipKey” trust that the content is honest and complete.  

 

Categorized as: Advice for Owners and Managers, Industry News Read more →
February 20th, 2009

Gatlinburg Local Expert Provides Advice on Vacation Rentals in the Great Smoky Mountains

Posted by: jess|4 comments

Area: Gatlinburg, TN 

Expert: Shawn Spiezio

Years living in Gatlinburg: 8 

Company: Aunt Bug’s Cabin Rentals

Subject: Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals

What makes Gatlinburg a great destination to visit and rent a vacation home? 

Aunt BugsGatlinburg is quaint small town within a short driving distance to most of the Eastern U.S.’s population and is one of the main entrances to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Over the years, the 11 million annual tourists have become accustomed to staying in Gatlinburg vacation rentals up on the mountain ridges, tucked away in the woods, or nestled on the river.  The cabin rentals offer affordability, luxurious amenities, & the comforts of home which are great for a romantic weekend getaway, family reunion, and corporate retreat.  After a long day of hiking, shopping, or nothing, a little relaxing in a hot tub feels very good.  There is something for everyone in Gatlinburg.

What are the top things to do (attractions, activities, events, etc.) in the area?  Are there any hidden gems that people may not be aware of?  

Most tourists enjoy the Smoky Mountain National Park, Ripley’s Aquarium, Dollywood, Dixie Stampede, music theaters, shopping, golfing, hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting, and horseback riding.  Cades Cove is an early pioneer area in the national park that is great for biking, hiking, and sightseeing for bears and deer.  The Herbert Holt park in Gatlinburg is tucked away on the Little Pigeon River with picnic tables and a kid designated trout fishing area.  The Arts & Crafts area is home to beautiful galleries and local artisans honing their craft.

What are the top 5 ‘must-try’ restaurants in the area?  

The Pancake Pantry is a must for breakfast enthusiasts.  For lunch, I would recommend the Pottery Barn Café and the Bullfish Grill.  For dinner, try the Cherokee Grill, The Apple Barn farmhouse, and the Peddler.

What popular entertainment/nightlife options in the area would you recommend?  

If you don’t feel like shooting a game of pool or relaxing in the hot tub at your cabin, Gatlinburg offers a variety of nightlife options.  The Smoky Mountain brewery has live music and lots of tvs(I like their micro-brew Velles Helles.)  Many locals enjoy Hellbenders Grill, Jared’s Grill at the Ship, and TGIFridays.  If you feel like dancing, Blaines restaurant doubles as a club at night.  Also, Gatlinburg is host to the Smoky Mountains Tunes and Tales event in the summer which offers free musical entertainment and storytelling that appeals to all age groups along the streets of Gatlinburg. 

You rent homes to hundreds of guests each year….so you must have a funny story or two about people that visit Gatlinburg?  

I’ve got a few.  Originally called White Oak Flats, there are many stories as to how Gatlinburg got its name, all involving a controversial figure who settled here in 1854. Radford C. Gatlin opened the town’s second general store and when the post office was established in his store, in 1856, the town name changed to Gatlinburg.  Legend has it that if he left town for good, he could keep his life and the town would bear his name. 

Many people that come on vacation are looking for a little R&R.  Instead of following directions or a map,  people have become spoiled by their GPS devices.  One of our homeowners who was from Alabama and has been here a million times programmed his GPS for Gatlinburg TN.  At a stop, he hit a button on his GPS and followed its directions.  Several hours later, he realized he was in Missouri!!   

Categorized as: Advice for Owners and Managers, Community Read more →